The single most eloquent statement I've heard today in the wake of last night's election of Barack Obama came from, of all people, the former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin.Irvin, who now hosts a show on ESPN Radio in Dallas, appeared on the national ESPN Radio show Mike and Mike in the Morning and said this:
"What a historical moment that was last night. ... From an African-American standpoint, I watched my people -- watched my people -- celebrate the not guilty verdict of O.J. Simpson. They were so hungry for a victory of some kind that they celebrated -- we celebrated -- the verdict of O.J. And I was thinking to myself, 'Two people are dead. Two people are dead' Now, I'm not talking about my people, I'm explaining them here. They were just so hungry to say 'We have a victory.' And I cringe when I even think about that.
"But last night I watched a celebration. A real celebration. A real celebration, and it was a celebration for everybody, and everybody celebrated, and they kept showing this shot, and I was watching, of this little black girl and this little white girl, just sitting there crying together, and I thought, wow. I thought about Martin Luther King and his 'I Have a Dream' speech, and I thought about him saying, black kids and white kids playing together. ...
"Last night we removed all differences and became just one, and I thought that was a beautiful thing. It was just a beautiful thing. I stood here with my kids, we watched it and we cried and we prayed."
Irvin had significant off-field problems during his playing days, but in the last year or so, starting with his Hall of Fame induction speech, Irvin has earned a reputation as an articulate, passionate and stirring speaker.
For those who never saw it or want to see it again, the video of Irvin's Hall of Fame speech is below.
Michael Irvin on induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
From August 4, 2007.



















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-05-2008 @ 1:03PM
jc said...
Irvin prayed? to who, Obama? big surprise he supported Obama. NEXT STORY PLEASE.
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11-07-2008 @ 2:10PM
intelligent1 said...
your as idiot jc..
a complete idiot..
11-05-2008 @ 2:26PM
Matt said...
Finally, one with some spiritual discernment! Irvin quoted "Last night we removed all differences and became just one, and I thought that was a beautiful thing. It was just a beautiful thing. I stood here with my kids, we watched it and we cried and we prayed." Removed all differences and became one huh? Here is the first sign of universalism that Obama and his pastor support and I will NOT remove that difference and become "one" with it! But I'm not surprised Irvin will. Like JC said, "praying to who?!"
11-06-2008 @ 12:47AM
Mike said...
You are a jerk and a lowlife racist retard! Sorry your man George W. screwed it up for John McCain, and for that matter, the Republican party for the remainder of your life.
Let me guess - you are a Joe six-pack high school drop-out, evangelical christian waiting to be raptured, who has never been out of the country.
11-06-2008 @ 1:05AM
justice said...
Ignorance has no color, and intolerance is a fool. Go get educated. Life is not is going to sit and wait for someone who is not willing to CHANGE. CHANGE WE BELIEVE IN.
11-05-2008 @ 4:16PM
Thunderorgan said...
95% of Black voters voted Obama. 5% for Mccain according to exit polls. No racism there?
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11-06-2008 @ 1:03AM
Jake said...
Come on, pal, or Thunderorgan, or whoever. Give it up. Big surprise that after having no choice but to vote for white guys since...forever...that blacks see a passionate, intelligent, plausible candidate, and they decide to get behind him. Big surprise, right? When I reverse the roles and try to imagine that I was only allowed to vote for black or hispanic and never had a chance to vote for a great candidate of my own race, I'd jump on the opportunity to have my children see that all is possible and vote white. Try walking in someone else's shoes--if you can--and then try (post) again--instead of crying about black racism.
11-05-2008 @ 10:26PM
Ranjan S said...
I should think not. After all, many of these black voters would have actually turned out to vote for a white candidate in earlier elections. Racism is when you refuse to vote for any candidate of a particular race, however good he or she maybe.
And I get a sense of it in some of these comments here
11-06-2008 @ 2:33AM
TT said...
No racism. It just mean they are better informed and intellegent.
The racism is down playing of the whites' vote either by focusing on the blacks' vote for Obama (as you did) or saying they voted because of guilt. No, the majority voted because they know the best candidate - that is why they are mostly educated, middle class and young. That demographics (the educated, middle class and young) is best positioned to choose based on merit than on insecurity, hate and crookedness.
11-05-2008 @ 2:23PM
rf1108 said...
Thanks for posting. Makes me think better of Irvin.
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11-05-2008 @ 5:48PM
soulcitysigma1914 said...
nope Thunderorgan, no racism there because 92% of black voters voted for Kerry and 8% for Bush. And Bush wasn't as unpopular in 2004 as he is now. After Bush, most any Democrat would have gotten 95% of the Black vote against a Republican
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11-05-2008 @ 10:06PM
digga said...
Funny how people wanna call blacks racist for voting for Obama. Not realizing we always vote Democrat. GOP has too many racist associations. Think about that! And nice comeback soulcity that idiot has nothing to say to that. LOL
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11-06-2008 @ 5:33PM
JP said...
Um 90% of blacks voted for obama over hillary clinton too. Same party. It just seems obvious to me that blacks vote along racial lines far more than whites. Spin that however you want to but that's the truth.
11-05-2008 @ 10:21PM
Tommy said...
You have go to be kidding... a known Rapist .. A known felon, ( coke Possesion).. and an elistest millionaire football player.. PRAYED???
Please.. If Obama was white .. he would be rediculed as we redicule all whites.. simply for being White...
Racism is alive and well in My conutry.. and the funny thing is .. the So-called minorities are the racist...
Becareful of the second term of this Clown Obama... racism is going to show in policies ...soon...
BTW.. anyone guess who is secretly being posted to his religious cabinet... you guessed it .. Rev. Wright.. the biggot himself.... Piss on Obama.. and Piss on this country for being stupid enough to elect a racist to the oval office...
Good luck with this one...
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11-06-2008 @ 1:04AM
a soccer mom in america said...
Ignorance has no color, and intolerance is a fool. Go get educated. Life is not is going to sit and wait for someone who is not willing to change. The only question I have to ask is did REVERAND WRIGHT LIE ABOUT ANYTHING HE STATED.
11-06-2008 @ 1:43AM
Latoya said...
So the man prayed. Yeah he prayed. Which is what most of us need to start doing. You cant tell me that you never said or did something spiritual and then turned around and did something not so spiritual. The bible says "Let he who is without sin case the first stone". Your not Mr. Perfect... so if someone wants to pray... weather it be a rapist or a nun then he/she has the right to pray without being judged. Only God can judge us and the last time i checked you aint God Tommy.
Next Comment.
Whites, Blacks, Asians, Green People, Purple People... we all deal with some sort or a version of racism everyday of our lives. Your right about one thing... racism is alive and well in this country and even though a barrier has been broken by electing the first black president of the United States, there are still more barriers yet to be torn down. Its igorant people like you (people who are afraid of change, people who are stuck in the past, people who hasnt been FULLY educated on the issues) who give America a bad name. How in the HELL can Obama be a racist? Against who? White people or black people? Because last time i checked the man was beside his WHITE grandmother at her death bed until her death and he is now married to a strong, black, beautiful women. So which one is it... cause Im confused?
The only thing i think we need to piss on is YOU TOMMY and the rest of these irresponsible people who are too afraid to except change. And guess what Tommy.... we dont need luck... we got prayer and God... so we GOTS DIS ONE in the bag!!!
(yeah right... like i am going to listen to someone who doesnt even know out to spell the word country... got me bent)
Barack Obama... my president!!!
11-05-2008 @ 11:45PM
Not a Fan said...
What is the benefit of looking for weakness in people and tearing them down? It doesn't make anybody taller, smarter, wiser, happier, healthier, richer, it doesn't put a smile on anybody's face, and it certainly doesn't make the world a better place.
Everyone is a mixed bag of good and bad. We can make a better world for our children- the same world we must all inhabit- by embracing the good that each of us has to contribute and being gracious to deal with the bad.
What this man said is beautiful. Look in your hearts and ask why you want to diminish it? To what end?
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11-15-2008 @ 11:05PM
cronespirit said...
I'm in total agreement with 9.
11-06-2008 @ 1:26AM
kevin said...
Why are republicans filled with so much hate, i sure hated seeing bush get elected but i figured i had to give him a chance, that turned out real well. At leaST GIVE THE GUY A CHANCE BEFORE YOU START SPEWING YOUR HATE!
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11-07-2008 @ 3:59AM
Tony Facade said...
If any of you commenters is unhappy with the outcome of the election, you should start campaigning Friday...there will be another one in 2012.
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